Bulgogi-Inspired Beef Quesadillas

  • Level: Easy
  • Yield: 6 servings
  • Total: 50 min (includes cooling time)
  • Active: 30 min
Advertisement

Ingredients

Pickled Onions:

1 red onion, thinly sliced

1 cup white vinegar 

1/4 cup sugar 

1/4 cup kosher salt

Marinated Beef:

1 1/4 cups soy sauce 

1/2 cup gochujang   

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sesame oil  

1/4 cup sesame seeds  

1/4 cup white vinegar  

2 tablespoons mirin

1 Asian pear, coarsely chopped 

2 pounds ground beef 

To serve:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

12 slices American cheese 

Six 10-inch flour tortillas 

1/2 head iceberg lettuce, shredded 

Sesame seeds, for sprinkling

Directions

  1. For the pickled onions: Combine the onions, vinegar, sugar and salt to in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and let cool completely. Drain the pickled onions and set aside.
  2. Meanwhile, prepare the beef: Combine the soy sauce, gochujang, sesame oil, sesame seeds, white vinegar, mirin and Asian pear in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour over the ground beef in a bowl and mix thoroughly.
  3. Heat a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook, breaking it up into pieces with a wooden spoon, until browned and cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes.
  4. To serve: Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat; add 2 tablespoons of the butter and let melt. Meanwhile, place 2 slices of the American cheese in a tortilla, then top with some of the ground beef, pickled onions and iceberg lettuce. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Fold the tortilla in half to make a half-moon. Repeat with the remaining ingredients to make 5 more quesadillas. Working in batches, cook the quesadillas in a single layer, adding more butter as needed to the skillet, until golden and crispy on both sides, about 4 minutes per side. 

Let's Get Cooking!

Sign up for the Recipe of the Day newsletter to receive editor-picked recipes,tips and videos delivered to your inbox daily. Privacy Policy

Thanks for subscribing to the Recipe of the Day newsletter. Check out all our other great newsletters from Easy Recipes, Healthy Eating Ideas and Chef Recipe Videos.

We're sorry, there was an error signing you up. Please try again later.

Advertisement

Susanne C.

This was like beef soup. The pickled onions were great though less salt next time. There should have been directions to drain the beef. Cabbage would be better than lettuce. Could have been tasty if revised.

See All Reviews